Apparatus for converting reciprocal vertical motion into rotary motion



Jan. 6, 1948 Q Q MORTON. A 7 2,434,004

APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING RECIPROCAL VERTICAL MOTION INTO ROTARY MOTION 1H1 '6 I I 2 1' 20 ,1! F 7 33 a? I 1% 6"": I Z 7 I ll 5 IIIHIH 2 l I q-Z,3O ALBERT A. MORTON as v INVENTOR. l

A. A. MORTON Jan. 6, 1948.

APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING RECIPROCAL VERTICAL MOTION INTO ROTARY MOTIONFiled Nov 20, 1944 3' Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Aim] I ,4 TT 'Y N O T R O M A T E B L A Jan. 6, 1948. A. A. MORTON2,434,004

APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING REC IPROCAL VERTICAL MOTION INTO ROTARY MOTIONFiled Nov. 20, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. fi LBERT A. MORTON bolts6.

Patented Jan. 6, 1948 APPARATUS FOR; -CONVERTING 'REC'IPRO- CAL VERTICALMOTION INTO .ROTARY MOTION Alb rt A? Mo cnrv n ou eri Wash assignor oAlfred A. Mor'ton, fortland Qreg.

Application November 20, 1944, Serial'No. 564212 9 Claims. (01. 2112-33) This invention relates .to apparatus for con.- verting verticalreciprocal motion .into rotary motion applicable to rotating platformssuch as are used .in merry-go-groun'ds and other rotatingplatforms, andwherein the apparatus is carried by 'and rotatedwith the platform.

A further object of the invention 'is the 'pro vision of an'apparatus'of this character which may be operated successfully by'asingleoperator at one end. of the apparatus or an operator at both-endsthereof.

A still further object is the provision of an apparatus-of thischaracter which is of simple, efficient, durable and inexpensiveconstruction.

The foregoing and other objects will appear as .my invention is .morefully hereinafter :de-. scribed 'in the following specificationillustrated, in the accompanying draw-ings, and finally pointed out inthe appended claims.

'In the-drawings:

Figure -1 is a plan vieW'ofinyinventionapplied to a merry-goround,with'parts-brokenaway for convenience of illustration.

Figure 21s a fragmentary side view, =taken=on line 2-2- of Figure (1,looking in the direction.

indicated; V

Figure 3 is a. side view; taken on line .'i-.i.3 of

Figure 1. 7 V I Figure 4.is a fragmentary sectional view,..tak,en online 44 of Figure 1. 1

Figure 5 is asectional view, taken0.nl-1ine'5-'5 ofFigure 1.

Figure Bis-a fragmentary sectional view, taken on .the .line '6-6 ofFigure 1, illustrating the supporting and driving assembly.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings:

The apparatus is mounted. upon a stationary supporting column I, whichmay be embedded 'in concrete 2, or fixed permanently-to the groundsurface in any other suitable 'fashion. -A base plate or bracket 3 isrotatably mounted to the column Ion a suitable bearing 4, providing freerotation about the post.

Upright frames 5 are fixedly secured to the bracket 3 by any suitablefastening means, as Cross or horizontal frames or beams 1 are fixedlysecured to the lower end 'of-the frames 5 by means of bolts 8. Theframes 5 are held in spaced relation by a cross frame 9 which providesan upper bearing l ll a'bout the vertical column I. The frames Send thecross frames .1 are rigidly secured together andrrotated about thevertical supporting column on their bearings 4 and I0.

Twopairsof walking beams l l and IZ'are pivotally mounted toithe frames5 by a cross shaft [3 and stub shafts M respectively. Pivotally mountedon either end of the walking beams are vertical frames l5 and I6 bymeans of cross shafts Handiit. The assembly of the walking beams andth'e vertical frames constitutes a parallelogram arrangement. The frames[5 and Hiremaining ina :vertical position at all times asthe walkingibeams H and [2 are pivoted about the shaft +3. A-frames comprising arms19 and 2B are lpivqtally attached at their one end to the cross shafts1-1 and I8 and the vertical frames liand -l 6.- The opposite ends 2| ofthe frames are-free tomove up and down.

The .cross shaft I 3 has crank arms 22 fixed thereon for'drivingtheconnecting links 23, which the outerfree ends of the walking beams,

I- attach pedals 28 and 29 upon which the operator or operators of .themerry-go-round stand. Two

semi-circular platforms 30 are mounted on either side of the walkingbeams l2 to form part of the platforms 28 and 29. The platforms 30 arerockably mounted .on upright pivot supports .32, which, are secured tothe cross frames 7 as best shown in Figures 3-and 6. These platformsmove in unison with the Walking beams forming the main frameof themerry-go-round. I have not shown any seating'accommodations on theplatforms '30 but any suitable seating arrangement may be providedwithin the annular walls 30A surrounding the platforms. Across the gapsbetween theends of the walls MA I may provide curved walls 31 serve as aback rest and protection to the i operator.

In :operating the device, one operator stands on the platform L29 withone foot, and places his other foot :on the pedal 33 located on theouter 7 ends'o'f the-A- frames 'l 9,'by placing the weight on theip'edal-andtaking the weight off of the .platform the Aeframe l9transfers the Weight of'the operator from the :pedal end 2'! to itsopposite end, which is :mounted upon the cross shafts l1 and i8.Thisplaces the weight on the vertical frame L6, thereby lowering thisframe assembly together with -the-platform 2B. As the Wei htwaszplacedonithe pedal 33 with the one foot of the operator and theweight was relieved from the other foot, it permitted the frame assemblyl to raise up with the walking beam, at the same time this operationtakes place another operator may assist by putting his weight on theplatform 28 and allowing the A-frame 20 and its pedal to raise. This ofcourse assists the efforts of the first operator. As the pedals 33 arepushed down and the A-frames travel down vertically, the connectinglinks 23, which are pivotally connected to the cranks 22 causes thecross shaft l3 to rotate, rotating the driving gear or pinion 26, whichin turn travels around the stationary gear 21, this in turn rotates thecomplete assembly about the vertical column I.

From the above description it will be apparent that a rotary motion isimparted by the operators to the merry-go-round and at the same time anup and down movement to the platforms.

While I have shown a particular form of em bodiment of my invention, Iam aware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themselvesto others skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus of the character described, consisting of a verticalsupporting column, a platform rotatably mounted upon the column, walkingbeams pivotally attached to said column, op-' positely disposed A-framesattached at their one ends to the walking beams, the apex of each A-'frame terminating in a pedal, one leg of each A- frame being connectedwith a crank shaft provided with adriving gear operatively engaged witha fixed gear mounted upon said supporting around said gear, a pair ofwalking beams pivotally mounted on said frame for vertical movement,vertical members interconnecting the ends of said beams toform aparallel linkage, and means carried by said vertical members andextending along said beams to turn said crankshaft to rotate said frameby up and down motion of said beams.

6. A rotating apparatus comprising a stationary 7 gear, a crankshaftgeared thereto, a frame carrying said crankshaft and mounted forrotation around said gear, a pair of walking beams pivotallyinterconnected for vertical parallel movement on said frame, a platformrockably mounted on said frame to follow the movement of said walkingbeams, and means for transmitting the vertical movements of the ends ofthe walking beams to said crankshaft to turn said crankshaft and rotatesaid frame and platform in response to up and down motion of said beams.

7. A rotating apparatus comprising a stationary vertical column, aparallel linkage of walking column, whereby up and down motion of saidone leg of either of said A-frames will impart rotation to said platformand the parts carried thereby.

2. Apparatus of the character described, consisting of a verticalsupporting column, a horizontal beam rotatably mounted upon the column,a circular platform carried by said beam, a Vertical frame secured toand rotatable with said beam, a pair of walking beams pivotally attachedto each side of said frame, a pair of Vertical members pivotallyattached to the ends of said walking beams to form a parallelogram,oppositely disposed A-frames connected at their one ends with saidwalking beams and vertical members, the apex of each A-frame terminatingin a pedal, and one leg of each A-frame being connected with one end ofa link whose upper end connects with a crank shaft rotatably mounted insaid vertical frame, a driving gear carried by said crank shaft andoperatively engaged with a fixed gear carried by said supporting column,whereby up and down motion of said one leg of either of said A-frameswill impart rotation to the assembly.

3. A rotating apparatus comprising a stationary gear, a crankshaftgearedthereto, a frame carrying said crankshaft and mounted for rotationaround said gear, walking beams pivotally mounted for vertical .movementon said frame, and means movable vertically with the ends of the walkingbeams to transmit up and down motions of said beams to said crankshaftto turn said crankshaft and rotate said frame.

4. A rotating apparatus comprising .a stationary gear, a crankshaftgeared thereto, a frame carrying said crankshaft and mounted forrotation around said gear, a'pair of walking beams beams mounted forhorizontal rotation and vertical pivotal movement with respect to saidcolumn, a platform movable with said beams, a crankshaft geared to saidcolumn and operable to rotate said assembly, and means for turning saidcrankshaft by said vertical movement of said parallel linkage to rotatesaid assembly.

8. A rotating apparatus comprising a vertical supporting column, a framerotatable on said column, a parallel linkage of walking beams mountedfor vertical pivotal movement on said frame, a platform carried by saidframe and movable with said walking beams, a crankshaft journaled insaid frame and geared to said column to rotate said frame and platform,and means interconnecting said crankshaft and parallel linkage to causevertical movements of said walking beams to turn said crank to rotatethe assembly around said column.

ALBERT A. MORTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,433,285 Kaho Oct. 24, 1922 NeyJan. 9, 1912

